Residents voice concern at commission meeting about elections staffing change and county elections board

During the Sept. 23 public-comment period, residents raised concerns about recent changes in Cobb County elections staffing and about how the county—s elections office handled a staff absence.

Tracy Stevenson, who identified herself as a longtime poll worker and manager, said a Marietta Daily Journal article quoting Jennifer Mosbacher, chair of the Cobb Elections Board, misstated events and described what she characterized as a "raw deal" for elections staffer Tate Fall. Stevenson said Fall "was run out of town," that Fall had been responsive and fair while serving as a poll manager, and that the board—s statement about a requested leave was incomplete. "I feel like she's being verbally handcuffed," Stevenson said, urging the commission to provide support to Fall.

Denny Wilson also addressed the board and criticized an elections board member for not standing for the Pledge of Allegiance while serving on the elections board; Wilson called for pressure on the elections board over conduct and noted he had not received expected responses from Fall when he tried to contact her. The county attorney reminded speakers that public-comment rules require comments be directed to the commission as a body and that the public comment period is not a dialogue with the board. County staff earlier said the elections board unanimously appointed Michael Ditry (spelled in the transcript as Ditry/Ditry) as acting election coordinator during a planned leave.

These remarks were presented as public comment and did not prompt formal board action at the Sept. 23 meeting. The speakers asked the board to consider supporting or clarifying the circumstances of the staffing change and to ensure transparency from the elections board.